Flying…. A Pain In The Ear

As If flying isn’t tedious enough, in flight ear pain can make you miserable (and the screaming baby next to you). Here is a little info on how to deal with it.

“About one-third of fliers feel ear pain or clogging due to changes in air pressure, according to Howard Francis, associate professor of otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins University. And this number increases substantially if passengers have seasonal allergies or fly with a cold.

Tips to help you Deal with in flight ear pain:

Swallowing or yawning. It allows the muscles in the Eustachian tube to contract and open, equalizing the pressure

You can also try using a nasal decongestant spray several hours before the flight.

But the best method, according to Francis, is the “Valsalva maneuver.” Just pinch your nose and close your mouth while forcibly exhaling through your nostrils

Use the Valsalva maneuver periodically, he suggests, especially during ascent and descent.

Try Earplugs- Earplugs keep the pressure even in your ears by restricting the flow of air to the eardrum.”